Chapter 11. Configuring Host Collections

A host collection is a group of content hosts. This feature enables you to perform the same action on multiple hosts at once. These actions can include the installation, removal, and update of packages and errata, change of assigned life cycle environment, and change of Content View. You can create host collections to suit your requirements, and those of your company. For example, group hosts in host collections by function, department, or business unit.

11.1. Creating a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to create host collections.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Click New Host Collection.
  3. Add the Name of the host collection.
  4. Clear Unlimited Content Hosts, and enter the desired maximum number of hosts in the Limit field.
  5. Add the Description of the host collection.
  6. Click Save.

CLI procedure

  • To create a host collection, enter the following command: 

    # hammer host-collection create \
--name "My_Host_Collection" \
--organization "My_Organization"

11.2. Cloning a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to clone a host collection.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. On the left hand panel, click the host collection you want to clone.
  3. Click Copy Collection.
  4. Specify a name for the cloned collection.
  5. Click Create.

11.3. Removing a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to remove a host collection.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Choose the host collection to be removed.

  3. Click Remove. An alert box appears: 

    Are you sure you want to remove host collection Host Collection Name?
  4. Click Remove.

11.4. Adding Hosts to a Host Collection in Bulk

You can add multiple hosts to a host collection.

Prerequisites

A host must be registered to Red Hat Satellite to add it to a host collection. For more information about registering hosts, see Section 3.3, “Registering Hosts by Using Global Registration”.

Note that if you add a host to a host collection, the Satellite auditing system does not log the change.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Select the host collection where the host should be added.
  3. On the Hosts tab, select the Add subtab.
  4. Select the hosts to be added from the table and click Add Selected.

CLI procedure

  • To add multiple hosts to a host collection, enter the following command: 

    # hammer host-collection add-host \
--host-ids My_Host_ID_1,My_Host_ID_2 \
--id My_Host_Collection_ID

11.5. Removing a Host From a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to remove hosts from host collections.

Note that if you remove a host from a host collection, the host collection record in the database is not modified so the Satellite auditing system does not log the change.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Choose the desired host collection.
  3. On the Hosts tab, select the List/Remove subtab.
  4. Select the hosts you want to remove from the host collection and click Remove Selected.

11.6. Adding Content to a Host Collection

These steps show how to add content to host collections in Red Hat Satellite.

11.6.1. Adding Packages to a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to add packages to host collections.

Prerequisites

  • The content to be added should be available in one of the existing repositories or added prior to this procedure.
  • Content should be promoted to the environment where the hosts are assigned.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Select the host collection where the package should be added.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Package Installation, Removal, and Update.
  4. To update all packages, click the Update All Packages button to use the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button to select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.
  5. Select the Package or Package Group radio button as required.

  6. In the field provided, specify the package or package group name. Then click:

    • Install – to install a new package using the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button and select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.
    • Update – to update an existing package in the host collection using the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button and select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.

11.6.2. Viewing installed packages

Use the following procedure to view the installed packages of a host.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and select the name of the host.
  2. On the Content tab, Packages displays a list of installed packages.

  3. To see details of a package, select that package.

    • The Details tab displays details of the selected package.
    • The Files tab lists the files contained in the package.
    • The Dependencies tab lists the dependencies of the package.
    • The Repositories tab lists the repositories that contain the selected package.
  4. You can filter these by Library or Default organization.

11.6.3. Upgrading a Package

Use the following procedure to view the installed packages of a host.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and select the name of the host that contains the package you want to upgrade.
  2. On the Content tab, select Packages.
  3. The Status column displays whether the package is upgradable or Up to date. You cannot update an up-to-date package.
  4. From the list of packages, choose the package you want to upgrade and click the vertical ellipsis icon at the end of the line.
  5. Choose the Apply via Remote Execution to use Remote Execution, or Apply via customized remote execution if you want to customize the remote execution, for example, to set a time when it should be applied.
  6. Click Submit to upgrade the package.

11.6.4. Removing a Package From a Host

Use the following procedure to remove an installed package from a host.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and select the host containing the package you want to remove.
  2. On the Content tab, select Packages.
  3. Click the vertical ellipsis icon at the end of the line for the package you want to remove, and choose the Remove option.
  4. Click Submit.

11.6.5. Adding Errata to a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to add errata to host collections.

Prerequisites

  • The errata to be added should be available in one of the existing repositories or added prior to this procedure.
  • Errata should be promoted to the environment where the hosts are assigned.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Select the host collection where the errata should be added.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Errata Installation.
  4. Select the errata you want to add to the host collection and click the Install Selected button to use the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button to select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry takes you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.

11.6.6. Adding Errata to a Single Host

Use the following procedure to add errata to a host.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and select the host you want to add errata to.
  2. Click the Content button and select the Errata tab.
  3. Select the errata you want to add to the host, or select the checkbox at the top of the list to add all installable errata. Click the checkbox next to any errata you wish to remove from a full list.
  4. Using the vertical ellipsis icon next to the errata you want to add to the host, select Apply via Remote Execution to use Remote Execution, or select Apply via customized remote execution if you want to customize the remote execution. Select Apply via Katello agent if you have no connectivity to the target host using SSH.
  5. Click Submit.

11.6.7. Applying Installable Errata

Use the following procedure to view a list of installable errata and select errata to install.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and select the host you require.
  2. If there are errata associated with the host, they are displayed in an Installable Errata card on the new Host page.
  3. On the Content tab, Errata displays installable errata for the chosen host.
  4. Click the checkbox for any errata you wish to install.
  5. Using the vertical ellipsis icon next to the errata you want to add to the host, select Apply via Remote Execution to use Remote Execution. Select Apply via customized remote execution if you want to customize the remote execution, or select Apply via Katello agent if you have no connectivity to the target host using SSH.
  6. Click Submit.

11.6.8. Filter Errata by Type and Severity

Use the following procedure to filter errata by type or severity.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and click the name of the host.
  2. On the Contents tab, Errata lists the errata associated with the selected host.
  3. Click the Type button to filter errata by type.
  4. You can filter to display errata of type Security, Bugfix, or Enhancement
  5. Click the Severity button to filter by severity.
  6. You can filter to display errata of severity N/A, Low, Moderate, Important, or Critical.
  7. To deselect your choice, return to the list of options and click the selected option again.

You can also use the Errata card on the host page to pre-filter errata for type before display.

11.6.9. Removing Content From a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to remove packages from host collections.

Procedure

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Click the host collection where the package should be removed.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Package Installation, Removal, and Update.
  4. Select the Package or Package Group radio button as required.
  5. In the field provided, specify the package or package group name.
  6. Click the Remove button to remove the package or package group using the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button and select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.

11.6.10. Changing the Life Cycle Environment or Content View of a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to change the assigned life cycle environment or Content View of host collections.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Host Collection.
  2. Selection the host collection where the life cycle environment or Content View should be changed.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Change assigned Life Cycle Environment or Content View.
  4. Select the life cycle environment to be assigned to the host collection.
  5. Select the required Content View from the list.

  6. Click Assign.

    Note

    The changes take effect in approximately 4 hours. To make the changes take effect immediately, on the host, enter the following command: 

    # subscription-manager refresh

    You can use remote execution to run this command on multiple hosts at the same time.